


Love Starts with Respect

by Ladyhawk_lhflu



Series: Alpha [9]
Category: Stargate - All Media Types, Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, The Alpha Pack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-11-28 02:15:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20958788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ladyhawk_lhflu/pseuds/Ladyhawk_lhflu
Summary: Rodney gets a request that he isn't prepared to handle.





	Love Starts with Respect

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to my Bijou and a picture on the wall from 'The Shrine.' Thank you for stopping me from running.

"You didn't tell me that I'd have to do *that*!" Rodney growled at John as he entered their quarters.

"You're a genius. It should have occurred to you," John replied calmly as he coaxed Rodney to sit on the sofa. He then sat on the floor to take off Rodney's sneakers.

Rodney just shook his head after watching John for a moment. "I nearly screwed up my own wedding. How am I supposed to preside over someone else's?"

"The same way you got through ours, with a little help from your friends." John rubbed Rodney's knee as he smiled up at his mate.

"Daniel and his husband are out of contact right now," Rodney growled. They had been able to contact Earth once by that point. But they hadn't found another ZPM to allow them to repeat that feat.

"Daniel isn't your only friend anymore," John pointed out. "And don't tell me it's only because you're Alpha. Radek is friends with you *despite* you being Alpha."

Rodney pulled John up to sit on the sofa next to him. "Radek is as scared of weddings as I am. So he's not going to be much help. Plus, Jose and Anna want me to give them a public blessing beforehand."

"That's not hard. I can help you with that part." John reached into the filing cabinet next to them that doubled as an end table. "Elizabeth gave me a book..."

John didn't see Rodney panicked expression until he pulled the book out, but when he saw his mate's face, he nearly dropped it on his foot. "Hey, hey. Calm down. What's wrong?"

"The blessing is usually based on the idea that a higher power put the Alpha in authority. An algorithm played that role with me. And you know me and how I think. How can I invoke the Great White Wolf when I don't believe it exists?"

John wrapped his arms around Rodney. "You don't. You give them your acceptance and let them decide where it came from."

Rodney sighed, afraid that acceptance wouldn't be enough. "I'm not the right person to do this."

"They think you are. Anna and Jose know what you believe, or in this case, don't believe in. Anna helped me calm you when you had your breakdown after Gall died. Your rant about science versus religion and how neither were helpful in dealing with what had happened startled her. But when you calmed down after I grabbed your hand, she told me that she was glad you had found something to believe in. And that I gave you the grounding you need." John's hand rubbed Rodney's neck until he began to relax.

Still, Rodney worried, about more than his job as Alpha. "Becoming your mate wasn't easy."

John nodded. "I told her that. We talked for awhile after Carson gave you a sedative. She was curious about us because her relationship with Jose was somewhat similar to ours."

"I doubt she had to tackle Jose to get him to listen to her after the proposal." Rodney cringed as he remembered how frightened he had been. He had figured someone had told John to play a prank on him when they had sat in Rodney's room in Antarctica to talk. They had only known each other for a few weeks when John had told Rodney he wanted to submit to him. And most of their conversations had revolved around getting John ready to go on the mission or how very frigid it was outside their base. So, of course Rodney had thought the worst. But they had made it past his fears, somehow.

John chuckled. "If she did, it at least wasn't in the gate room. But they are like us. She's a Marine. He's an anthropologist. They didn't know how to handle their differences until they watched us, according to Anna."

Rodney stared at John in amazement. "That's impossible. Why would anyone look up to me? Especially after our disaster of a wedding. You did tell them about it, right? I wouldn't want them to follow us in complete ignorance."

"I told them. Anna said that she especially liked that Daniel dragged you to the front of the community room in Antarctica. Jose seemed amazed that O'Neill was able to keep a straight face after that." John's smug expression had Rodney wanting to growl, but only for a moment. 

Rodney had a more important concern. "So why do they want me to preside over their marriage?"

"Because you're the first Alpha they've known that appreciates the relationship they're in. They want to have the reminder that working on your relationship is important." John nuzzled Rodney's neck softly. "I told them we would tell them the whole story after I talked to you. Then they could decide if we were still good role models. But I tend to agree with them. You do get scared at times, but you've learned to talk to me when things get bad. It..it helps me too. You're the first person who has made me face my fears, because I didn't want you to get lost in yours." 

Rodney sighed. "Jack should be presiding over them, not me. I'm far from perfect when it comes to relationships."

"Perfect people actually make bad role models because most of us can't achieve perfection. And O'Neill is far from perfect. One day you need to ask Daniel about the time O'Neill threw a beer bottle at his head."

Rodney gave John a skeptical look. Everyone knew Jack treated Daniel like he walked on air.

"I'm serious," John said. "All relationships have bad moments.That's why you should help with the wedding. What they're asking for is a little reassurance. Someone to say 'You have what it takes to have a good relationship.'""

"I don't know if I have what it takes!" Rodney threw up his hands in agitation.

John turned Rodney's head so they met eye to eye. "Do you see me leaving?"

Rodney shook his head. "No."

"And I'm not about to, not after we learned how to listen to each other." John's expression reassured Rodney that they were still in this together, even after all that had happened. Rodney was not the most dominant Beta (or Alpha, now). John was far from the most submissive Omega. But somehow, the other was exactly what was needed. And when they slowly got over their fears of domestic fights and rejection, they learned that they could explore what they had and grow.

Rodney frowned. "So that's what I'm supposed to tell Jose and Anna?"

"Yup." John stood up and pulled Rodney off the sofa. "Tomorrow. Right now I want to reassure you by making you moan."

Rodney gripped John's hand tightly as they headed to the bedroom. John knew where his mate's periodic anxiety came from. He hadn't expected to be understood when he sat down with Rodney and explained his kind of submission included being protective and demanding his dominant take care of themselves.

Nancy hadn't understood. Nor had any of his short-term partners. Being understood and respected for what he was rather than what others wanted him to be was shocking. Yes, John admitted, it was also frightening. He had known immediately why Rodney had run to the Antarctic gate room. He had been scared that he was dreaming, or that John had lied.

So John had sat with Rodney on the ramp and explained. Nobody had bothered them. He suspected that the glimpse Elizabeth had gotten of John hugging Rodney in an aggressively gentle way was enough for her to keep the room off limits until Rodney calmed down.

John now automatically read Rodney. He clung to John. When they laid down, Rodney shifted himself onto John's chest, wanting to restrain him, so he couldn't leave. John didn't mind. But he did remind Rodney that sex worked better without clothes. Then he let his Alpha growl into his neck as their bodies made it clear that they were two halves of a whole.

The next day, Rodney dragged John along to his meeting with Anna and Jose. Rodney stumbled through words Carson used to explain mental states until John laid a hand on his arm. Then John simply asked the couple, "Do you respect each other?"

A light went on in Anna's eyes as she explained how Jose was the first person around her to understand her love of insects, even though he'd rather stay away from them. He had helped her get involved with the biologists and the two zoologists on the mission. Anna now helped maintain an ant farm and a roach 'hotel'. She, in turn, had learned to knit because Jose found it relaxing. It had been something he had shared with his grandmother while they talked about their lives. He had been ecstatic when Anna had been willing to do the same, even though all she could knit were scarves.

Their words made Rodney realize how much John had given him, how much he had craved the respect that John showed him in simple, easy ways. So he said, "You should talk to Cadman and see if the scarves can be used for the dominant party clothes."

John rolled his eyes but said nothing, especially since he was going to suggest to Jose that they find someone who could make candy molds that were insect shaped. He'd even steal a little of Rodney's stash for the occasion. But he could see by the expressions in front of him that they already had plans to surprise their partner with something.

Neither partner showed any fear until Rodney's public declaration of acceptance of their planned union. When Rodney announced that he saw real strength in their bond, Jose collapsed to the floor and sobbed. John smiled as Rodney just helped Jose to his feet and into Anna's arms before he invited everyone to share in the refreshments that had been laid out.

John was sure Rodney would handle the wedding well, even if one of the pair had to be dragged in front of him. He though for a moment as he wrapped his hand around Rodney's. Elizabeth had been at the Jackson-O'Neill wedding. He should ask her if it had been as calm as O'Neill had told John. John was sure he had seen Jackson roll his eyes at O'Neill's version of the story before Jackson went to talk to Rodney about the commitment he had been about to make.

But the Jackson-O'Neill relationship had oozed so much respect that others automatically respected their desire for privacy when it came to the details. So John hadn't asked about the nonverbal comment.

But Rodney needed reassurance that everyone had moments of panic. John respected that. So he would ask Elizabeth for details about Rodney's friend. And he'd remind Rodney that the love they had wouldn't die just because he had periodic nerves.

Hell, John had been a second away from leaving their wedding ceremony when Rodney ran. Rodney wasn't the only one who was afraid to believe his luck.

John promised himself he'd tell Rodney right before Jose and Anna's ceremony. He knew it would reassure his mate if Jose or Anna broke down. But it was more than that. Sharing his feelings made Rodney's eyes shine.

Those tears were proof that Rodney loved him. They were worth the sense of weakness. Because they gave him strength.


End file.
